Diablo 3: Gold selling now legal, but only if Blizzard can take some of your money.

[PenlogOL]

The repercussinos of this are somewhat scary to me. Instead of taking 10 hours or so to farm the needed in-game gold to purchase an item from an AH, I can instead pay something like $3. In the past, I justified not doing that because it was illegal and could result in a ban; but now, how can I reasonably not do that? I work a job, making $XX thousand a year, so how can I not be willing to spend a few bucks to avoid a boring grind?

The "boring" grind is the game though...we do the grind to get the feeling of accomplishment, but now that feeling is gone too. I can have anything I want anytime I want it and I know anyone else that has something could have done the same. So instead of grinding for ten hours, I open my wallet -- but then what do I do with the time I saved? Watch TV? Than why did I buy the item?

The flip side to that then becomes to why not try and profit off the system? Spend time earing gear other's will pay for and sell it for real money. So what does that accomplish? Do the painful grind for cash? It's then like having a second job.

I love Blizzard, but this choice will very likely take all the fun out of the game. It's almost as if they've ignored the obvious psychological addictions people have for these games -- they've made the carrot to easy to reach. I will never be able to justify not purchasing something with actual dollars...

You should thank blizzard, you are paying to get rid of the addiction to the video game.

[Jira]

Sure there is a difference between rules and laws, but the principle is the same. If you don't uphold those principles then you've got double standards.

There may be a market for real money in Diablo... but there's a market for real money in every game. Every FPS gamer would love to skip the levelling process and unlock all guns, or own that rare auto-aiming one-shot gun, every RTS gamer would love to have access to upgrades others can't afford. We'd all love to buy advantages.

There's a market for drugs too btw, doesn't mean we should legalise them.

Sure there is no competitive endgame, but if I said to you, sorry you don't have enough dollars for the top tier of items, how would you feel? That's essentially what's going to happen, the rich will have the best.

I get your point. The way I see it, it was exactly the same in Diablo 2. It may not have been officially through Blizzard, but you didn't get top tier items for gold. It's, as stupid as it may sound, the way Diablo runs. No soulbound stuff - it can be sold. And nobody is at a disadvantage for not having the best gear - it's not must have, because there is no content in which you need the the absolute perfect items.

And on the principles - I tend to agree a bit again. But the whole selling items for money stuff just really works for diablo. Possibly because the drops are stupidely rare, I don't know, but it's been like that for quite some time. And of course, I can compare many things to drugs, weapons, murder and what not, but it is blowing things out of proportions.

Honestly, I think we can agree that we disagree. I respect your opinion, you're not one that I would count to the doomsayers.
But based on my experience this actually changes much less then people think

[FireBorne]

To people saying this is a great idea, have you ever played FFXIV. Do you remember when gil selling(was illegal) but really big at the time and things on the AH where infected by inflation so badly 20million gil for a dagger. Gold will be near worthless in D3 as fr as the ah goes because thing will cost too much.

[Arrowstormen]

That's a point I can agree with.

Let's go to Ebay and talk there, shall we?

People don't get this. It's very simple.

You can now

earn real money

by playing

a video game.

The only difference

between D3 auctions and Ebay (and that kind of auctions)

is the stuff that is being traded.

And sometimes not even that.

WoW TCG anyone? Magic cards anyone?

[Deleted]

not at all actually, blizzard always go with the market and look outside your box... almost all the game out there have a rl money related to their game. I don't say that i approve it, but do not let you convince that all activision who does that.. almost all the games out the do that except blizz game, and they want to follow that awfull market...sadly...

Not even every other game. The game that started all of it was... Diablo 2, by third-party sites. This is what people don't seem to get.

Seriously, a quick google search:

http://www.google.pt/#hl=pt-PT&cp=13...w=1024&bih=611

[Blooddeity]

"Time is money" is such an overstated phrase I think it has lost all of its original meaning.

Yes time is 'valuable' but only in a metaphorical sense. It doesn't mean people should live their lives with their credit card always in their hand, always thinking of money and the profit margin. It means don't waste your time, your life doing stuff you don't want to do.

Euhm "Time is money" has not lost it's original meaning. It's all about choice. You can choose to spend your time a certain way. Other people can choose to spend their time a certain way. If in their mind it's better to just dish out a few bucks to the items they want fast so they can focus doing other things in the games instead of grinding for gear than why is that a problem?

[Deleted]

So as far as I understand, the defense "this is done to quell 3rd party sites/botters/hackers" is being taken as a viable point.

What?

I haven't followed the D3 development, but are they seriously going by the same model as D2?

You would figure that the biggest bane to your successor would be thoroughly looked at and dealt with accordingly (ie. bind on account items, allow trade for commodity items to minimize impact). But in this case, are Blizzard seriously sticking with the old system, and just turning 3rd parties profits to their own pocket?

[64bitjedi]

Let's go to Ebay and talk there, shall we?

People don't get this. It's very simple.

You can now

earn real money

by playing

a video game.

The only difference

between D3 auctions and Ebay (and that kind of auctions)

is the stuff that is being traded.

And sometimes not even that.

WoW TCG anyone? Magic cards anyone?

Oh, it's absolutely true. But that doesn't disprove that it is an attempt for Blizzard (or any auction group) to cut a bit of profit on the throughput. Nor are any of those groups wrong to do so.

[Tarien]

As they explain (very well) in the FAQ on Diablofans, the goal of this system is to allow savvy players

So a small fraction of the playerbase, while the rest continue to pay dollars for items lining blizzards pockets?

[Beetlejuice]

Try again. You didn't say, "At least". You said 2-10 times. Sorry champ.

Rofl, i see every kind of reasonable discussion is entirely wasted on you if you desperately try to argue semantics while completely missing the point .

[Arrowstormen]

Oh, it's absolutely true. But that doesn't disprove that it is an attempt for Blizzard (or any auction group) to cut a bit of profit on the throughput. Nor are any of those groups wrong to do so.

And why complain then? When you make the auction, you agree to it. Don't like, don't do it. It isn't setting you back.

[Tarien]

except for the moneytrading being 100% optional and you being able to cut their additional cash mashine by not trading in real money... right?

Sure if you want to just hope and pray that that item with a 0.000001% drop chance drops for you. Happy farming!

[Juikkinen]

I also look forward to turning a RL profit from a game.

I know. Me too.

But im still sad that they turned the game this way. I would had rather enjoyed the game's possible good PvP and adventuring just as i did in d2.

Well i still have 2 years to go before i can have a full time job and this is great way to make more money to actually do something else than just play games because you have no money.

[Arrowstormen]

So a small fraction of the playerbase, while the rest continue to pay dollars for items lining blizzards pockets?

You choose to do it.

And you keep saying "BLIZZARD WILL BE RICH!"

You get more money than Blizzard when you are selling it succesful, it's called a cut.

You realize you could as well say that people on Ebay are lining Ebays pockets?

[64bitjedi]

Rofl, i see every kind of reasonable discussion is entirely wasted on you if you desperately try to argue semantics while completely missing the point .

Arguing absolutes that are wrong is logical fallacy. You don't deserve to be treated fairly when you can't logically and rationally argue points without using bad data. You posed an argument that was reliant upon false information. Then, when it was called out, you respond defensively and by resulting to personal attacks. What about this makes you deserving of fair play?

[webdonkey]

you cant actually believe that. almost every day, in every BG i go into there is a bot. they don't detect them automatically, players report them, then they monitor them closely. they don't have the resources to individually monitor every player playing, and if people didn't report them, chances are they would never get caught.

This ^^

bg's are full with bots running honorbuddy.

they run the same path over and over, sometimes even in a train... its so obvious.

blizzard isnt doing shit about bots in wow... not a single thing.

You are the one who spots and reports em, then if they feel like it, they will

investigate. 7 botters on my realm, in Uldum for 5 weeks non stop, reported

5 times, tells me, blizzard isnt doing shit. They are still there, not even went offline once!

People with 1000 auctions in AH, 10.000 volatiles, reported, no one farms that... still inthere.

so ye...they cant fight em...why not join em now with Diablo 3.

Blizz sued honorbuddy, like they did with glider, just cause they CANT catch em.

OT: Was thinking about something else then wow... diablo 3 is deffo not gonna be it.

SW:TOR here i come!

[Bearshield]

I couldn't believe it when I read about this on here earlier. Seems like something that should be an April Fool's Joke, not a realistic part of an upcoming game. I really hope they dont decide to implement a system like this in WoW.

[Sten]

It never ceases to amaze me how ill informed people are about capitalism. Blizzard is a for profit company...and you are surprised why? I mean, you don't work at your job because you like to serve hamburgers to the masses right? You do it for the paycheck.

IMO, if you don't like it...here we go...don't buy it? If Blizz doesn't charge for services then it can't afford to properly compensate their workers, and if workers aren't paid properly they'll leave and go somewhere else. Its pretty simple, thats how life is and has been for a long time.

So to attract the best and brightest they have to be able to have competitive if not top pay and stay there, hence optional paid services that are available at an extra cost. They are by no means game breaking, but there for you to use if you so choose. And frankly, I haven't seen a decrease in content thats already provided that is already paid for by current subscriptions. I mean hell, I haven't ever bought the winged horse or the new lion mount in wow and you don't see me sweating it. I have plenty of mounts already that I got in-game that were already paid for by my subscription.

There is no such thing as a free lunch. Somebody somewhere paid for it or put their personal labor into the creation of what you now enjoy. Its only fair that they are properly compensated.

[Arganaut]

I'm not sure about this. Almost in two/three/fours minds over it.

With regards to gold sellers and I can't help but think this is a "if you cannot beat them join them" move. The other makes me think it's corporate greed going a bit too far.

I mean come on, we're talking computer games. This feature is one hell of a signal to send out to the market. "Hey, don't just play out game, you can play it 24x7 and make freaking money out of it."

I all up for people being entrepreneurs but come on folks, it's a game!

Perhaps it's just the way video games are going. This is like Blizzard being the trend setter for alternative ways of funding development and making profit.

This. Is. Not. WoW.

Seriously, why people don't get the difference?

And seriously I think you are naive if you think it will end here!!

Blizzard set the precident. If it is a success I would not be at all surprised to see this coming to Azeroth in a future ex pack. Battlenet is a slippery slope. I think most people knew that Battlenet was the start of something much bigger, and a lot more sinister.

[Phoef]

I am not pulling out my wallet while playing a game... My copy of DIII never gets shipped.

And I am just waiting for a new AH in WoW. That'll mean I'll be done done aswell.

What this guy said.

its just plain stupid.